Thinking, Fast and Slow

By: Daniel Kahneman

Narrated by: Patrick Egan

Length: 20 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

The guru to the gurus at last shares his knowledge with the rest of us. Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman's seminal studies in behavioral psychology, behavioral economics, and happiness studies have influenced numerous other authors, including Steven Pinker and Malcolm Gladwell. In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Kahneman at last offers his own, first book for the general public. It is a lucid and enlightening summary of his life's work. It will change the way you think about thinking.

Two systems drive the way we think and make choices, Kahneman explains: System One is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System Two is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. Examining how both systems function within the mind, Kahneman exposes the extraordinary capabilities as well as the biases of fast thinking and the pervasive influence of intuitive impressions on our thoughts and our choices. Engaging the reader in a lively conversation about how we think, he shows where we can trust our intuitions and how we can tap into the benefits of slow thinking, contrasting the two-system view of the mind with the standard model of the rational economic agent.

Kahneman's singularly influential work has transformed cognitive psychology and launched the new fields of behavioral economics and happiness studies. In this path-breaking book, Kahneman shows how the mind works, and offers practical and enlightening insights into how choices are made in both our business and personal lives - and how we can guard against the mental glitches that often get us into trouble.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2011 Daniel Kahneman (P)2011 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A tour de force... Kahneman’s book is a must read for anyone interested in either human behavior or investing. He clearly shows that while we like to think of ourselves as rational in our decision making, the truth is we are subject to many biases. At least being aware of them will give you a better chance of avoiding them, or at least making fewer of them.” (Larry Swedroe, CBS News)

“A major intellectual event... The work of Kahneman and Tversky was a crucial pivot point in the way we see ourselves.” (David Brooks, The New York Times)

“[Thinking, Fast and Slow] is wonderful, of course. To anyone with the slightest interest in the workings of his own mind, it is so rich and fascinating that any summary would seem absurd.” (Michael Lewis, Vanity Fair)

Eye Opening

This book helped me gain a much better understanding of how we make decisions and remember our actions. The author provides lots of good examples and kept me interested throughout the process. There are lots of new concepts for me on this book so I plan to reread it to get a better understanding.

Meaningful and life changing

Narrator did an amazing job. Felt as if the author himself was speaking to me. If enjoyed with a clear and open and focused (system two) mind these writing can profoundly change ones views of the world and how to conduct oneself and understand others. an amazing "read".

Insightful

A well-written book. The ideas are logical and there is clear sign of research. The narrator is gifted, he owned the material he was presenting. Bravo!

Good Listening Ears Required

Any additional comments?

Kahneman's life work is a fascinating revelation of the human mind's limitations, including its own inability to see these limitations. The challenge with this audiobook is its reliance on numerical and mathematical exercises--I start to drift when equations and ratios are narrated at length. Seeing this data in print would be easier to digest.

That said, my two takeaways from this book are significant and worth the spent credit:
- "All you see is all there is." (Re: the mind's inability to see data and scenarios in broader contexts)
- "A person's willingness to apply the specific to the general is matched only by their inability to apply the general to the specific." (This paraphrased quote, as Kahneman states, is not his; it stopped me in my tracks nonetheless.)

An illuminating perspective on the human machine

What made the experience of listening to Thinking, Fast and Slow the most enjoyable?

I refer to this book often to understand my own reactions to everyday challenges. Professor Kahneman's theories, when properly applied, can help us influence our choices positively. In addition to the audible, I purchase the hardcover version so I can refer to it as often as I need to.

somewhat heavy and dull, but glad I didn't quit

I struggled mid-way to keep going. my system 1 keeps saying it's board and wants to go elsewhere, while my system 2 says I should give it the chance

I feel I'd be at a loss if I hadn't heard it beginning thru end though. I'm now triggering your loss aversion... I guess I learned quite a bit after all.

A long look at our thinking

Very much information and a very interesting look at how we make decisions, how they're affected by bias between the fast thinking instinctual part of the brain and the slower, more meticulous part that governs our being.

Don't rush through this book, it's a gem to be digested and redigested.

Find an Abridged Version

Great insights, but would be better abridged, or just reading in an actual book since it frequently refers to figures/diagrams.

Audio format not the best, but this is still great

For a research driven book this one is up there on my list. The main concepts of system 1 and system 2 are interesting and the implications are important to anyone's life. That being said, it can be dry at times. The audio version references a pdf with graphs and charts frequent enough that its annoying not having these.

It's a bit long at 20hours. The information is great and can be life changing (or at least make you look at things a bit differently) but the presentation and length detract from the message.

Fascinating, and refreshingly gender inclusive

Long, but absorbing. Great narrator. I was glad half his hypothetical scientists and leaders were women, I'm tired of 500 page books without the words "she" and "her". That's not the focus of the book, but it was lovely to have my gender represented.